AQA · A-Level · Physical Education
Course version: 7582 · Version from Sept 2016
Joint actions in the transverse plane/longitudinal axis.
Full specification wording
The musculo-skeletal system and analysis of movement in physical activities: Joint actions in the transverse plane/longitudinal axis.
The transverse plane divides the body into upper and lower portions and lies at right angles to the longitudinal axis, which runs vertically from head to feet.
Checked against the AQA 7582 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 7 of 10
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
The transverse plane divides the body into upper and lower portions and lies at right angles to the longitudinal axis, which runs vertically from head to feet. Rotation about this axis is the characteristic joint action of the transverse plane: a limb or the trunk turns in a horizontal arc. In a standing twist, such as a golfer rotating the trunk during the backswing, the movement occurs in the transverse plane about the longitudinal axis. Circumduction combines flexion, extension, abduction and adduction, but does not include rotation, so it is distinct from a pure transverse-plane action. To analyse a movement, identify the plane, name the perpendicular axis, then name the action produced.
What earns the marks
- The transverse plane divides the body into upper and lower portions.
- The longitudinal axis runs vertically from head to feet.
- Rotation is the joint action occurring in the transverse plane about the longitudinal axis.
- Transverse-plane rotation turns a limb or the trunk in a horizontal arc.
- Circumduction combines flexion, extension, abduction and adduction, and does not include rotation.
- Plane, axis and action must be identified consistently when analysing a movement.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Confusing the transverse plane with the frontal plane.
Put it right: The frontal plane divides the body into front and back portions, whereas the transverse plane divides it into upper and lower portions.
Naming the longitudinal axis as horizontal.
Put it right: The longitudinal axis is vertical, running from head to feet, so it is perpendicular to the transverse plane.
Treating circumduction as including rotation.
Put it right: Circumduction combines flexion, extension, abduction and adduction only, without rotation.
Exam tips
- State the plane, then the axis, then the action in that order so each element of the analysis is explicit.
- Check that the named axis is perpendicular to the named plane before committing to an answer.
- Use a concrete sporting example, such as trunk rotation in a golf swing, to test whether the action really occurs in the transverse plane.
Try the lesson
The start of the The musculo-skeletal system and analysis of movement in physical activities: Joint actions in the transverse plane/longitudinal axis. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
A gymnast stands upright and turns her whole body to face the opposite direction, rotating about a vertical line running from head to feet. Which plane and axis describe this rotation?
Listen
The transverse plane divides the body into upper and lower portions and lies at right angles to the longitudinal axis, which runs vertically from head to feet. Rotation about this axis is the characteristic joint action of the transverse plane: a limb or the trunk turns in a horizontal arc. In a standing twist, such as a golfer rotating the trunk during the backswing, the movement occurs in the transverse plane about the longitudinal axis. Circumduction combines flexion, extension, abduction and adduction, but does not include rotation, so it is distinct from a pure transverse-plane action. To analyse a movement, identify the plane, name the perpendicular axis, then name the action produced. A strong answer earns marks for these points. The transverse plane divides the body into upper and lower portions. The longitudinal axis runs vertically from head to feet. Rotation is the joint action occurring in the transverse plane about the longitudinal axis. Transverse-plane rotation turns a limb or the trunk in a horizontal arc. Exam tip: State the plane, then the axis, then the action in that order so each element of the analysis is explicit.
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Planes of movement
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Axes of rotation
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Joint actions
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Movement analysis in physical activity
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See every definition
- Planes of movement
- The transverse plane divides the body into upper and lower portions and lies at right angles to the longitudinal axis.
- Axes of rotation
- The longitudinal axis runs vertically from head to feet and is perpendicular to the transverse plane.
- Joint actions
- Rotation is the joint action occurring in the transverse plane about the longitudinal axis, turning a limb or the trunk in a horizontal arc.
- Movement analysis in physical activity
- To analyse a movement, identify the plane, name the perpendicular axis, then name the action produced.
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